What I know about men + Celebrity | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/what-i-know-about-men+celebrity
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What I know about men: Will Young, singer, 30, singlehttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/apr/05/will-young-relationships
Will Young, singer, 30, single<p>My father is brilliant - he's a very generous man and a bit of a quiet anarchist on the side. It was hard for him when I first came out and he was very honest about it.</p><p>For lots of parents, they have to face their own prejudices that maybe they're not even aware of themselves, and I think he struggled for a while, probably feeling a little bit ashamed and then guilty for feeling ashamed. But what's great about him is that because of what's happened with me and my brother Rupert he's grown with it - so he understands what it is to be gay, he understands what it is to be an alcoholic, he understands what it is to be a depressive, rather than being closed, which so many parents, particularly dads, are. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/apr/05/will-young-relationships">Continue reading...</a>RelationshipsLife and styleCelebritySat, 04 Apr 2009 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/apr/05/will-young-relationshipsMartin GodwinWill Young, musician. Photograph: Martin GodwinMartin GodwinWill Young, musician. Photograph: Martin GodwinAdam Mattera2009-04-04T23:01:00ZWhat I know about men: Jane Birkin actress and singer, 62, three daughtershttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/feb/08/jane-birkin
Jane Birkin actress and singer, 62, three daughters<p>My father was my hero, which was easy because he was a hero anyway. He worked for the French resistance and was a James Bond sort during the war. He worked with spies in complete secrecy, on beaches in the dead of night, in the dead of winter. He had TB and a patch on his eye, which made him seem unbelievably romantic. He used to take cocaine for his frontal sinus. Once, aged about 16, he went off on a fire escape with a nurse after a sinus operation, and when he came back he had a frightful temperature, but to avoid getting the nurse into trouble he allowed the surgeon to presume they'd left something in his head and cut him open again. And by accident they sliced all his optic nerves, which left him with double vision for the rest of his life. I would often read to him - PG Wodehouse. When he was ill, coughing blood, it made my love for him even stronger. No other men could live up to my pa, but Serge [Gainsbourg] managed to make him laugh. They used to take their sleeping pills at the same time. They were like two owls on Mandrax. In one silly Italian film I did, Serge played a rather unconvincing detective and my father played Villagers One, Two and Three. He was just divine. People envied me him.</p><p>As a child in London I always tried to pass for a boy, and I succeeded quite successfully, even as a 16-year-old. I even made it into my brother's prep school, by cutting off my hair with kitchen scissors. I knew when I turned into a girl I'd lose my brother Andrew's affection, so I made sure I ran as fast as him, and I was as good at Chinese burns as him, but I was always just his lieutenant. He used to look like Hamlet in a sports car. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/feb/08/jane-birkin">Continue reading...</a>RelationshipsCelebrityLife and styleJane BirkinSun, 08 Feb 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/feb/08/jane-birkinGabrielle Crawford/Sygma/CorbisSinger and actress Jane Birkin. Photograph: Gabrielle Crawford/Sygma/CorbisGabrielle Crawford/Sygma/CorbisSinger and actress Jane Birkin. Photograph: Gabrielle Crawford/Sygma/CorbisEva Wiseman2009-02-08T00:01:00ZWhat I know about men: Georgina Baillie performer, 23, in a relationshiphttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/jan/11/georgina-baillie-satanic-sluts
Georgina Baillie, performer, 23, in a relationship<p>Voluptua, the Satanic Slut I play in my horror burlesque show, is very different to who I am in private. Voluptua likes rituals, pretending to stab people, stripping her clothes off and playing slutty characters. In private my boyfriend and I have an awesome time together but I couldn't see him doing me on an altar or other kinky stuff from the show, we're not into that. I'm actually really boring, I like to watch TV, eat chocolate and go to bed at a reasonable hour.</p><p>Audiences for the Satanic Sluts are usually metalheads, rockers and fetish people and our main objective is to shock them. I feel empowered, not exploited by what we do. But I would never sleep with an audience member. They can try all they want but they'll just get rejected.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/jan/11/georgina-baillie-satanic-sluts">Continue reading...</a>Life and styleBurlesqueRelationshipsCelebrityWomenSun, 11 Jan 2009 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/jan/11/georgina-baillie-satanic-slutsImogen Carter2009-01-11T00:01:00ZWhat I know about men: Pattie Boyd 64, rock star wife and photographer, married twice, now singlehttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/nov/30/women-pattie-boyd-relationships
Pattie Boyd 64, rock star wife and photographer, married twice, now single<p>I didn't have boyfriends until my late teens. I was at a girls' boarding school and my stepfather disapproved of me going out with anybody. I never really came across any boys. When I did, one of them asked me out and I was petrified. I felt like a fish out of water and it was excruciating. </p><p>My father was with us in the family until I was 10. But I don't have any recollection of him talking to me or communicating with me. He was very remote. He'd been a pilot in the war and I think he was slightly damaged. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/nov/30/women-pattie-boyd-relationships">Continue reading...</a>RelationshipsCelebrityLife and styleGeorge HarrisonEric ClaptonMusicSun, 30 Nov 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/nov/30/women-pattie-boyd-relationshipsJulia Maloney2008-11-30T00:01:00ZWhat I know about men: Marie Helvin, 55, modelhttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/nov/02/women-family-marie-helvin
Marie Helvin, 55, model, single<p>I like naughty boys. I was married to David Bailey, who was one of the naughtiest. I like real men and I like masculinity. </p><p>The first time I was aroused was when I met Marlon Brando. I was nine or 10 years old. Brando's best friend was very close to my father and I remember sitting on his lap. He said, 'Hello cutie', and I had a feeling I'd never had sitting on my father's lap. He was absolutely gorgeous and it made me aware of feelings I didn't know were there. I had boyfriends early and I still like men but as I've got older I've come to know what I like and I've realised I like them very masculine. I'm not a pretty-boy kind of a girl; the Brad Pitts don't do anything for me. I like men that are bigger than me. I like to be engulfed. Bailey isn't taller than me but he was bigger, his size and his personality were overwhelming and I like feeling like that. I'm 55 and the great thing about being my age is that I feel I really know what I want. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/nov/02/women-family-marie-helvin">Continue reading...</a>FamilyRelationshipsCelebrityLife and styleSun, 02 Nov 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/nov/02/women-family-marie-helvinJon Bennett2008-11-02T00:01:00ZWhat I know about men: Dita Von Teese 35, striptease artist, singlehttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/oct/05/relationships.celebrity
Dita Von Teese 35, striptease artist, single<p>I've been performing striptease a long time, and I've lost a few men along the way who were afraid or intimidated by what I did. They couldn't cope with other people watching me. There have been a few who couldn't make it past the first performance. I can't see them in the audience when I have the spotlight shining in my eyes, but afterwards I always recognise whether they have the confidence to be with a woman like me.</p><p>I have given a lot of men a hard time in my life. My first love was when I was 15. He was slightly embarrassed to be seen with me sometimes, because I really liked dressing up, and it was hard for a 16-year-old lifeguard walking hand-in-hand with a girl with a blonde beehive and red lips. But we were very much in love. I wore stockings and garter belts, and he must have thought that this was just what girls wore, what girls did. I wonder sometimes how that's shaped him. I got really experimental with my hair and make-up when I was 19, going out with my second boyfriend. I was influenced by Marlene Dietrich, I wore men's tuxedos, and I dyed my hair black. He freaked out. Throughout my life, men have always fought my eccentric looks, I must be very clear on that. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/oct/05/relationships.celebrity">Continue reading...</a>RelationshipsCelebrityLife and styleSat, 04 Oct 2008 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/oct/05/relationships.celebrityEva Wiseman2008-10-04T23:01:00ZWhat I know about men: John Barrowman, 41, actor, in civil partnershiphttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/sep/07/women.relationships1
John Barrowman, 41, actor, in civil partnership<p>When I was growing up, homosexuality was like a curse. This was midwest America in the Eighties, so I couldn't exactly make it a known thing. But I never doubted my sexuality. Even as a child, I knew I was different. I would look at a dirty magazine and I would feel drawn to the guy rather than the girl. His bits were more interesting than hers. It would make me feel warm and tingly. After gym class, I'd secretly peek at the other boys in the shower when I knew that I shouldn't. I was nine or 10 and I didn't know what being gay meant. </p><p>Later, I made sure I was good at sports and I worked out so they couldn't call me a wimp. I had to copy the others to fit in and avoid being bullied; I'd date girls, dance with them, go for dinner but I used to panic when I was on her doorstop and I'd have to kiss her and feel her up. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/sep/07/women.relationships1">Continue reading...</a>Life and styleRelationshipsCelebritySat, 06 Sep 2008 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2008/sep/07/women.relationships1Morwenna Ferrier2008-09-06T23:01:00Z